Benyamin Poghosyan - China Emerging on the Global Stage | Ep 244 - April 5, 2023 [EP244]

Guest:

• Benyamin Poghosyan

Topics:

• What agreements were reached between China and Russia?
• What is the role of India in the new world order?
• Consequence of moving away from a dollar-denominated global economic order?
• China as peacemaker in Ukraine
• China as peacemaker in the Middle East
• China’s role in Iran and South Caucasus
• How should Armenia navigate world order changes?

Episode 244 | Recorded: April 5, 2023

Show Notes

Discussion

China Emerging on the Global Stage

More and more in the US it has become evident that China is emerging on the world stage as a power that is shifting the balance of geopolitical multipolarity. From the recent concerns about Tiktok and the US congressional hearings that may lead to its banning from the US, to the economic sanctions on large numbers of products and industries in trade between the US and China, it’s obvious that the larger global struggle is no longer between The West and Russia, but rather between The West and China.

In this context, Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow was a major milestone for cementing their strategic partnership. For China, this helps keep the West, west of Russia. For Russia, this keeps them economically solvent.

Questions:

• 1.1 What agreements were signed during the Chinese president’s visit to Moscow, and what are the global repercussions of this partnership?
• 1.2 Along with China, India is a rising power on the world stage. What is the role of India in the new world order?
• 1.3 When evaluating the outcome of the summit, people point to security and energy agreements and arrangements. So in this context one thing that sparked our attention is the agreement by China, one of the world’s largest technology exporters, and Russia, the world’s largest energy exporter, to use local currency to denominate contracts. How consequential is this decision in moving away from a dollar-denominated global economic order?

In flexing its emergent powers, China has engaged in international peacemaking efforts. For example China again proposed a ceasefire in Ukraine. China also successfully brokered an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The two long-time adversaries agreed to lower tensions and open embassies within a couple of months.

Questions:

• China again pushed its proposals on a ceasefire in Ukraine, which Putin agreed to, he said, if The West accepted it as well. What did China’s proposal bring to the table, in the situation in Ukraine?
• Generally the West has relied on the blockage of the Iran-Saudi Arabia relationship, to further isolate Iran. How does this affect the balance of relations in the Middle East? For example between Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, and Egypt and Israel? How do you view this Chinese achievement on the world stage?
• What is China’s relationship with Iran? How do you see China’s policy evolving in the South Caucasus?
  • Note: Iran has close relations with India, a rival of China, and its “Brick and Road” initiative.

We talked with Suren Sargsyan yesterday, and he thinks that the Iran-Saudi agreement is important not only for the greater middle east and China, but will also bring benefits for Armenia, in the form of increased attention and resources to the South Caucasus by Iran.

In fact, Iran’s FM Abdollahian was in Moscow last week and the two countries are also working on a greater strategic partnership. Among a wide variety of issues discussed, was the crisis in Artsakh and Armenia.

Questions:

• How do you see Armenia navigating these sweeping world order changes?

Alright, we’ll leave it there for today, thank you Benyamin!

Wrap-up

All right, that’s our show, we hope you found it useful. Please find us on Social Media and follow us everywhere you get your Armenian news, the links are in the show notes. Thanks to Laura Osborn for the music on our podcasts. We’ll talk to you soon!

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